


Jeanne

by JackiLeigh



Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 21:38:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14578197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackiLeigh/pseuds/JackiLeigh
Summary: Jeanne gets back at Tony for her father's death.  AND, I left Kate ALIVE for this one.





	Jeanne

JEANNE

AN: I am no medical expert, so if it is not medically possible, just bear with me. It worked for the story. I have been holding on to this story for a few years, thinking it was too dark to publish but thanks to XenaScully's current story, in the torture vein, and our PM conversations, I decided to publish. 

READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

Jeanne Benoit had pieced together what had happened. Her father was dead because of Tony DiNardo aka Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He had used her to get close to him so that someone could put a bullet in his brain. She now had Tony in her sights.

Jeanne was sitting across from Agent DiNozzo at a work table in one of the deserted basement workrooms in Washington General. She had told Tony that she would love to have a ‘romantic’ dinner with him in the workroom. She had told him that the workroom were always empty on the weekends, which was true. She had told him that the workroom also had a sleeping area attached, which was also true. But what she hadn’t told him was her real plans for the evening. Tony had come, as she knew he would, bringing wine, cheese, chicken, and potato salad.

When Tony got up to use the restroom, down the hall from the workroom, Jeanne slipped a little ‘something’ into his wine. It was a mild tranquilizer, embarrassingly easy for her to get, since she had 5 patients she had prescribed it for. She had just swiped it from the pharmacy and falsified a patient’s record.

“Tony, the meal was wonderful.” She smiled as Tony drank down the last of the wine in his glass.

“It was really nice to have the place all to ourselves.” Tony said loading all the empty containers, plates, and glasses back into the picnic basket he had brought with him. He started to stand up and that was when it hit him. He staggered a little, dropping the basket. He brought both hands up to his head. “I’m dizzy, my head hurts.”

Jeanne slipped her arm around his waist. “Come on.” She led him into one of the attached rooms where the cots were. “You can lay down here.”

Tony stretched out on one of the cots and was asleep almost immediately. Jeanne worked quickly. She estimated she had about 10 minutes before the tranquilizer wore off. She attached the wrist and ankle restraints she had brought to Tony. She then secured them to the bed frame. She unbuttoned his shirt and attached the two defibrillator pads she “borrowed” from supply to his chest. She then attached the lead wires from the defibrillator machine itself, which she also “borrowed.” Now she waited for him to regain consciousness.

Tony came to pretty much on schedule. “Jeanne, I feel much better now.” He tried to get up, but realized he was restrained. “What is going on?” Tony asked, confused.

“I don’t know, Agent DiNozzo. You tell me.” She was standing beside the defibrillator machine. “It’s my understanding you were using me to get to my father. Is that true?”

Tony said nothing, too stunned to speak. He remembered the cell phone he had in his pocket. She had not noticed him slipping it out of his pocket as his shirt was lying open, covered his hands. He pictured the keypad in his head. He ran his fingers over it hoping to dial Director Shepard’s number and then put in the code they had worked out to indicate that his cover had been blown. He pressed SEND, and prayed he had gotten it right.

Jenny Shepard’s phone rang. She flipped it open, as a feeling of cold fear ran through her body. Tony was in danger; she had to tell Gibbs what was happening. She ran out of her office and sped down the stairs. She spotted Agent Gibbs picking on his jacket and leaving for the day. Tim and Kate had already gone home, leaving the floor basically deserted. “Gibbs!”

“It’s been a long day, Director.” Gibbs continued toward the elevators.

“DiNozzo’s in trouble.” Shepard said, reaching the bottom step.

This stopped Gibbs in his tracks. She now had his full attention.

Seeing the look in Gibbs eyes, she braced herself. “I just received his distress call.”

Gibbs just stared at her.

“He used the code from when he was undercover. I received the call 2 minutes ago.”

“Is Jeanne back in town? Gibbs said reaching for his phone to call Tim and Kate back to work. Each answered quickly and he apprised them of the situation. Luckily, McGee had not left the parking structure and Kate was only about a quarter of a mile away. They were both back in the office in a matter of minutes.

“Jeanne is back in town…” Jenny continued. “…a few days ago, actually. I wanted to keep track of her, where she was, in case she did find out. I didn’t know how she would take it. I know she really, really loved her father.” She stared at her phone, hoping he would call again. “I can’t think of any other reason for Tony to use that code.”

Director Shepard heard the elevator bell and caught McGee as soon as he got off. “See if you can track Tony’s cell phone.

“Yes Ma’am.” McGee said setting down at his desk. He put the number in.

“This can’t be Jeanne. It just can’t be.” Jenny paced back and forth between Tony’s and Gibb’s desks, speaking more to herself than anyone in the room.

Meanwhile, Gibbs, McGee and Kate loaded and clipped on their guns. They had their coats on and were ready to go. The director disappeared up the stairs to her office. She returned seconds later with her gun clipped to her side and wearing her coat.

“Director.” McGee turned his attention to the screen when the search indicator beeped. “I tracked it to Washington Memorial Hospital.”

Director Shepard sighed. “That’s the hospital where Jeanne works.”

Kate said. “I thought she was taking a long leave in Africa."

The team and Jenny rushed to the elevator. "Tony’s work number came up. He used the distress code we had worked out if he thought his cover had been blown. I can’t think of any other reason for him to use that code.” Jenny explained to Kate and McGee as the elevator descended to the parking structure level.

^^^^^^^^^

Jeanne moved a dial on the machine, adjusting the voltage. She then pressed at button next to the dial. Tony’s body convulsed, arching upward. His hands closed into fists and he groaned, as current shot through his body.

“IS THAT TRUE, Agent DiNozzo? I won’t ask you again.” Jeanne turned the dial higher and pressed the button again.

Tony’s body convulsed, again arching upward. He groaned louder this time. “YES!”

“So, you used me to get to my father.” She pushed the button and held it a second longer, with the same results. “You never loved me.” She said, just coming to the realization. “It was just…sex for you, wasn’t it?”

“No, Jeanne. I love you. I swear I do.” Tony groaned.

“LIAR!” She screamed at him, suddenly infuriated. She moved the dial higher and pressed the button again. This time Tony screamed, straining against the restraints. He collapsed, unconscious, onto the bed.

Tony woke up moments later. “I’m sorry, Jeanne.” He said, gasping. “I wasn’t supposed to fall in love, but I did. I’m so sorry.”

“How dare you continue to lie to me! She pressed the button again.

He groaned, fighting unconsciousness. “I’m not lying, I swear.” 

“You would say anything to keep me from hitting this button again.” She said, her finger poised over it.

^^^^^^  
“You never told me the answer when I asked you this question the first time. Was this personal?” Gibbs said when they had settled into the car and were heading towards the hospital. Kate and Tim were in the second vehicle, following close behind.

“Jethro…the mission is over, has been, Jeanne didn’t know anything. Tony told her that he was going on an extended leave from the university, teaching abroad for a year. That’s how he broke up with her. She left on her trip not long after that. She just got back in town a few days ago.” Jenny said, staring in the direction they were headed. She then turned and looked at Gibbs. “If she found out… .!”

Gibbs phone rang. “Boss.” McGee said on the other end. “I traced the signal to the east wing of the hospital. I can’t get an exact fix, electrical interference.”

They both were quiet with their own thoughts, as Gibbs stepped on the gas. He pulled into the parking lot. Kate and Tim parked next to him and got out. Tim continued trying to fix on the signal, but didn't have any luck.

The team and Jenny entered the lobby. Gibbs looked around. “We’ll start in the basement.”

The director stopped by the front desk in the lobby and informed the staff of the potential situation. She handed the lady a picture of Agent DiNozzo and asked them to distribute the photo. Police officers took up positions on each floor. They were prepared to search the whole building. Gibbs turned at the top of the basement stairs. “You don’t make a MOVE until I give the ‘all clear.’ ” Gibbs, the team, and the hospital personnel then proceeded slowly and cautiously down the stairs.

^^^^^^

“No, Jeanne. Please!” He was almost panting by now, struggling to breathe.

“You are the reason my father is dead. You don’t DESERVE my sympathy.”

“STOP, PLEASE.”

Jeanne hit the button again.

Tony bite his lip, hard enough to make it bleed, trying not to scream. But he could do nothing to stop his body from convulsing. “Please…stop! Please…don’t do this!” Tony felt himself losing consciousness. He fought it. He blinked and tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

“You don’t know what pain feels like. I bet your dad is still alive. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call him to talk to him. I..” She allowed her anger to get the better of her. “…have to go to the cemetery to visit with my father.”

“Please, Jeanne, I love you! Please don’t…!” He said haltingly. He was crying now. 

Jeanne pressed the button and held it down twice as long this time. His body jerked more violently then before and he screamed. This time when his body collapsed back onto the bed, she could not hear him breathing as she had the previous times.

Oh my god, what have I done. Jeanne thought. She quickly moved to the bed and checked his pulse, it was weak, but it was still there. He was breathing quick, shallow breaths. She wiped the tears from his eyes. She moved her right hand to his chest, absently rubbing the upper part of his chest, above the position of the defibrillator pads, hoping to get a response. There was nothing. She removed the restraints from his wrists. She removed the wires from the defibrillator pads, but left the pads in place.

Jeanne sat down in the one chair in the room. It had previously been placed beside the bed. She pulled it as close to the bed as she could get it. She put her head in her hands. She felt herself beginning to cry. The tears obstructed her vision as she stared at Tony, unconscious on the bed. She then slid her arm under his shoulders and pulled him to her. His head fell back against her arm. His left arm dangled limply from his shoulder. His hand and forearm resting on the cot. It was like holding a rag doll. She again began to absently rub his bare chest. There was still no response. She buried her face in his neck, continuing to cry.

^^^^^^

The team moved slowly along the corridor looking into each room. Suddenly a scream startled and galvanized them. They speed down the hall to the far end where, they believed, the scream to be coming from.

Gibbs entered the workroom slowly, gun drawn. He saw the picnic basket on the floor and the half empty bottle of wine on the table. The scene he witnessed when he entered the room where Jeanne and Tony were disturbed his greatly. Tony was unconscious and Jeanne was holding him in her arms. His head had fallen back and his left arm was dangling, partially resting on the cot. When Gibbs first saw Tony, he thought Tony was dead.

“Put him down! Now!!” Gibbs said, pointing her gun at her head. Kate and Tim quickly entered the room after him. They took up positions on either side of Gibbs, guns drawn.

Jeanne raised her head at the sound of Gibbs voice.

“He’s not dead. I wanted to die. I really did, at first.” Jeanne said slowly and carefully lowering him back onto the cot. She then stood up and stepped away from him wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry for what I did to him. Please tell him that.”

Gibbs, Tim, and Kate had re-holstered their guns, their concern for Tony apparent on each of their faces. Tim took out his cuffs, cuffed Jeanne and took her out of the room and into the hall. He awaited further instruction. By this time Jenny had rejoined Gibbs and Kate. She looked into the room and saw Tony lying unconscious on the cot.

Gibbs leaned down to Tony and felt for a pulse in his neck. Gibbs was reassured when he found one. He sighed. Then he nodded at Kate who had by this time moved to Tony’s side and was holding his hand. Gibbs called emergency personnel to their location. Gibbs and Kate waited for them to arrive before they left the room. 

Kate knelt down on the floor beside the cot. She placed Tony’s arm back on the cot from where it had fallen when Jeanne put laid him back down. Kate stroked his cheek and held his hand as she waited for the ER personnel to come.

The hospital staff showed up within moments. They immediately surrounded the bed. They administered oxygen. They removed the defibrillator pads from Tony’s chest and hooked him up to a heart monitor. He was then moved upstairs to the ER where he could be accessed and then admitted for closer observation. The fact that he was unconscious worried the staff because no one knew the extent of damage to his heart.

Gibbs spotted Jenny in the hall and pulled her aside. “If anything happens to him… .” Gibbs didn’t finish his sentence. He just turned and walked away instead.

Jenny spoke up, loud enough for him to hear. “He knew the risks.”

Gibbs turned around and walked back to her. “He knew what you chose to tell him. This wasn’t government business. You risk my agent’s life. Tony is my friend. I care a great deal about him.” Gibbs studied her face, waiting for her to answer. “But, obviously you don’t, you selfish bitch.” He just stood there glaring at her.

Jenny stunned and hurt by what he said managed. “Believe it or not, I do care a great deal for Tony. I saw that he had fallen hard for Jeanne. I saw how much it hurt him to have to tell her he couldn’t see her anymore. He knew that the relationship could only end badly.” 

Gibbs then took Jenny by the shoulders and guided her back into the workroom. He then guided her back into the room where the hospital staff was moving Tony onto a stretcher to be taken upstairs to the ER.

“Do you know what those are, Jenny?” Gibbs pointed to the defibrillator pads the hospital staff had removed from Tony’s chest. They were lying on top of the defibrillator machine. Gibbs continued, not waiting for her to answer. “They are called defibrillator pads. The machine is a defibrillator machine. It’s used to restart a stopped heart. Can you imagine what it would do to a beating heart? Can you imagine how painful that was? We heard him scream, Jenny. That’s how we found him. We followed the sound of his scream. I have only heard a man scream like that once in my life. He was on fire at the time, victim of a live mortar round in Desert Storm.” Gibbs paused, taking a look around the room. “Look at this!” Gibbs picked up the straps of one of the arm restraints. “She tied him to the bed. She tortured him. He looked dead, Jenny. And I don’t care what your reasoning was. I don’t think Tony’s death would have phased you one bit.” Gibbs dropped the straps, turned, and walked out of the room.

“Jethro?” Jenny said following him out.

“NO!” Gibbs turned, putting up both hands to stop her. “I need to check on Tony and find Kate.”

Kate had followed Tony and the hospital staff up to the ER. She stood outside the room they had put Tony in, looking in through the window. Kate turned to Gibbs when he walked up. She sighed. “He’s still unconscious, but the MRI showed no damage to his heart. There was no damage, according to the EEG, to his brain. He’s breathing normally.” She turned her attention back to the window. “When we found Tony…, he looked… .”

“Dead.” Gibbs finished her sentence.

“She tortured him, didn’t she?” Kate didn’t dare turn and look at him. She could feel herself tearing up. “...the scream, the straps, and that machine. That was a defibrillator, wasn’t it? I have never, EVER heard a man scream before. It was… .”

Gibbs nodded as he watched the staff prepare Tony to go to the 5th floor ICU unit.

The doctor left the room after seeing Gibbs in the hall. “You must be Agent Gibbs.”

Gibbs nodded.

“Agent DiNozzo’s still unconscious, but that’s not unusual. The effects on the body are similar to those of a person who suffered a seizure. They can sleep for 12 to 24 hours after the event. The body is exhausted and needs rest. I told Agent Todd the results of his tests. He will recover. We are taking him up to the ICU on the 5th Floor, give us about 15 minutes to get him settled in.” The doctor followed the stretcher up the hall and got on the elevator with it.

Gibbs and Kate watched the doctor enter the elevator. “The director and I are going back to question Ms. Benoit. You stay here and take care of Tony. Keep me updated.” He said when he noticed Jenny standing in the hall by the elevator. She had appeared visibly shaken seeing Tony up close, remembering what Gibbs had said.

Kate watched Gibbs and the director leave before she went up in the elevator to the 5th floor.

Gibbs walked into the interrogation room and sat down across from Jeanne Benoit. "You're a medical doctor, am I right?"

Jeanne nodded.

"Sworn to help people." Gibbs said.

Jeanne nodded again.

"You realize you will NEVER practice medicine in the United States again." Gibbs got up and moved around the room, making sure to keep the table between him and Jeanne. "And that when, if, you get out of jail." Gibbs put both hands flat on the table and leaned in close. "Attempted murder of a federal agent is 25 to life. Given the unusual cruelty of this case, I'm betting on life. You will be too old to practice, anyway, which is probably a good thing for all those people who will never have you as their doctor."

"I am a good doctor, Agent Gibbs.” Jeanne said defending herself.

Gibbs leaned back against the wall, still angry, but knowing he had this woman dead to rights. “I am guessing that declaration does NOT include today’s events.” Gibbs said, smugly.

“He lied to me." Jeanne spoke up, angry. "It was all a game to him. I was a game to him. He was just using me to get to my father." She paused. "I wasn't supposed to be upset at that. He knew what he was doing."

"Actually." Gibbs said looking at the two-way mirror, behind which Jenny Shepard and Timothy McGee were standing, observing the interrogation. "He didn't, not entirely. But that is not a discussion for here."

"Whatever that means, Agent Gibbs. My father is dead because of him."

Gibbs turned his attention back to Jeanne. "Again, that is not entirely true." He glanced at the two-way mirror.

"He had me fooled. I bought every lie, every come on." She paused looking his square in the eyes. "I wonder. Is sex an interrogation technique approved by the federal government?"

Gibbs chose to ignore the question, moving on. "You tied a man to a bed. Put electrodes on his chest and sent electricity through his body, Ms. Benoit."

"I KNOW what I did was horrible, as one human being to another and ESPECIALLY as a doctor. It is an inexcusable act, we both know that." Jeanne paused. "It doesn't matter if Tony pulled the trigger, Agent Gibbs. Maybe Tony wasn't supposed to pull the trigger. Maybe he was just supposed to lead the person who did." Jeanne bowed her head, she had begun to cry. "I wished I had never met Tony. If I hadn't my father would still be alive." She raised her head, tears in her eyes. "What did he do that was so awful anyway?"

Gibbs didn't answer; he just looked towards the two-way mirror. Gibbs then left the room. He went into the observation room and asked McGee to step out for a moment. He turned his attention to the director. "Was it worth it to you? You got what you wanted and you ruined two other people's lives in the bargain. Tony trusted you. I trusted you. You let personal ...shit cloud your thinking. You almost got my agent, my friend killed. You ruined that woman's life." He gestured to Jeanne on the other side of the mirror. "How far did you tell Tony to go to get what you wanted? Does he know YOU used HIM? What did her father do to YOU?" Gibbs stared at Jenny for a moment, seeing that he was not going to get an answer, he opened the door and waved McGee back in. 

Gibbs reentered the interrogation room. "Ms. Benoit, NCIS does not... ."

"Save me the disclaimer, Agent Gibbs." Jeanne paused, wiping her eyes. “I know there are severe consequences for my actions.”

Gibbs nodded. He motioned McGee to come in. McGee handcuffed Jeanne and led her out into the hall where two uniformed policemen were waiting for her. She was led off to jail to await her trial and her sentencing.

Gibbs waited for Jenny to come out into the hall. "You still haven't answered my questions. How much did you tell Tony about what is going on? How far did you tell him to go?"

"I think Rene Benoit killed my father." Jenny said cautiously, waiting for Gibbs to blow up. She wasn't disappointed.

Gibbs just stared at her. "YOU THINK! You risked Tony's life because you THINK."

The director backed herself against a wall and bowed her head. She was afraid to look up at him, to see how angry he actually was. "I am 99% sure it was him. I didn't see him actually do it. I don't think anybody else was there except the two of them."

"What did you tell Tony?!" Gibbs demanded.

"That he was a 'person of interest' to the federal government."

"Is he?" Gibbs asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not to my knowledge." Jenny said quietly.

"You used a federal special agent, without his knowledge, to settle a personal vendetta." Gibbs stated matter-of-factly. "I heard he was shot in the head. YOU did, at least, put the bullet in his brain, or did you get someone else to do that too?" Gibbs paused a moment in his sarcastic rant and stared at Jenny. "You come out smelling like a rose in all this. You still have your career, your life. When we found Tony, he LOOKED dead. I had to check his pulse to see if he was still with us."

"Jethro." 

Gibbs turned, opened the door and left the room. "I’m going to check on Tony."

 

Kate had wanted to give the nurses enough time to get Tony settled into his room. She went to the nurse’s station and showed them her ID. She identified herself as one of Agent DiNozzo’s co-workers and surrendered her weapon to the nurse.

Kate walked slowly to the door of his room. Tony still had the leads from the heart monitor attached to his chest, but the oxygen mask was gone. He looked much better. She went over to his bed. She slipped her hand into his and touched his face with her other hand. He didn’t move and he didn’t open his eyes. She moved the bedside chair a little closer and sat down, still holding his hand.

Tony slept for 18 hours, during which time Gibbs, McGee and Abby took turns staying with him. Ducky even dropped by for a few minutes. Abby was with Tony when he opened his eyes. He looked around the room trying to figure out where he was.

“Tony.” Abby leaned over the bed, smiling. “You’re ok. You’re in the ICU.” She removed her hand from his only long enough to press the nurse call button and to dial the phone. “Gibbs, he just woke up.” She returned her hand to his and squeezed it, as she hung up the phone.

“How long have I been out?” Tony groaned when he tried to move. His chest hurt and his back was sore.

“Tony, what’s wrong?” She was at the door in a second, trying to get a nurse’s attention.

“My back hurts. How long has it been?”

Seeing Tony was indeed ok, she returned to his bedside. Abby pressed the bedside call button to summons a nurse. “It’s been about 18 hours since they found you.”

“Oh, god.” He groaned. “I remember now. Where is she?”

“McGee took her to NCIS from here. They now have her in a jail cell in Alexandria now. She’s up on attempted murder and felonious assault. The AMA has already ruled on her medical license. She will never get it back.” Abby sat down in the chair beside the bed. She stroked his cheek. She had started to cry. “We almost lost you, Tony. The guys thought you were already dead when they found you. Gibbs had to check your pulse to make sure that you were alive.”

“She had to have put something in my wine. I didn’t taste anything, but when I tried to stand up to leave, I got really dizzy.” He paused. “She tried…to kill me.”

“Yes, it would seem so, Tony.” Gibbs said stepping into the room.

“Hey, Boss.” Tony said, pulling himself up in the bed.

Gibbs turned his attention to Abby. “Can you give us a few minutes, Abby?” Abby nodded, stood, released Tony’s hand and went out into the hall where McGee was waiting.

Gibbs took a seat in the chair that Abby had just vacated. “What happened?”

Tony sighed. “She asked me to come to the hospital. She said we would have a nice “romantic” dinner in one of the workrooms in the basement. Said they were quiet, deserted on Friday nights and over the weekend. I brought the food and the wine. I wanted this to work. When she called me, asked me to come meet her. I thought maybe we could have a relationship.” He turned his gaze to the ceiling, seeming to be intensely studying the tile. “I really cared about her.” He paused, his voice shaking. “I know, Boss. I know it was stupid. I know it was wrong. I couldn’t go on being ‘Anthony DiNardo forever.” He blinked and tears formed at the corners of his eyes. “I would have told her. …I would have told her and, what … ?” He rubbed his eyes and looked up at Gibbs. “Why do men get so damn stupid when it comes to women?

“You’re asking the wrong man, DiNozzo. I have been very stupid three times in my life.” Gibbs smiled.

Tony sighed. “Anyway, we had almost finished eating. I got up to go to the bathroom. When I came back I finished my glass of wine. I packed up everything. Then I stood up to leave. I got dizzy. She lead me to one of the cots in the back room, and… . You know the rest, well, at least most of it.”

Gibbs leaned back in the chair. “Believe it or not, there will come a time when you will want to talk to someone about it, and I am not talking about the relationship. I mean what happened in the basement. Make sure you take advantage of the opportunity.” 

“I don’t see that happening any time soon.” Tony laid his arms across his chest and stared at the ceiling.

“It took me six months before I was ready. Some people, it takes years.”

Tony stared at Gibbs for a moment, wondering what kind of tortures he had experienced in his time as an active soldier. “Women are more trouble then they’re worth.” Tony sighed.

“Tony, it’s never wrong to fall in love. Sometimes it’s the wrong person. Sometimes it’s the wrong time. But when it’s right, it’s the best thing in the world.”

“But… ?” Tony looked at him confused.

“The wrong women… . Sometimes the right one gets away.” Gibbs stood to leave. He put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “I am really glad you’re ok, Tony."

^^^^^^^^

"I miss the old Tony." Kate said as she and Tony were riding up to the 4th floor. She looked at Tony expectantly and when he said nothing she reached over and pushed the button to stop the elevator.

Tony looked over at her then. "You enjoyed the sexist, demeaning comments and the constant pestering. I can't believe it. I thought that you, at least, would have enjoyed not listening to me talk about my personal life all the time." He paused. "OK, let me have it. It's been 2 months and nobody's said anything."

Kate just stared at him for a moment, considering her options. "OK, it was incredibly stupid for you to fall in love with Jeanne. It was astoundingly, mind-numbingly stupid for you to fall in love with her. It is the first, number one, golden rule you NEVER, NEVER, EVER fall in love with a subject or a target. You were an idiot for doing it." She stopped her rant and stared at him. "Does that make you feel better? Did it really help?"

Tony leaned back against the wall of the elevator and sighed. "No, but I needed to hear somebody say it. I'm surprised Gibbs... ."

"Gibbs said you were beating yourself up enough. He didn't have to say anything." Kate looked up at him. "I knew there had to be more to you than some immature frat boy. I am glad I got to see that side of you. It would be nice to see that side of you more often, under better circumstances, of course. But, I am really sorry she hurt you. You didn't deserve that." She hugged him.

"Be careful, Kate." Tony smiled and hugged her back. "I might start thinking you like me."

"I meant what I said." She stepped back breaking the hug.

Tony reached over and pushed the resume button on the elevator. "So, we go with the old standard?"

"Sure." Kate said turning to face the doors.

The doors opened seconds later with Kate stepping out first. "You're a pig."

Tony followed close behind her. "So, it is true." Tony said smiling broadly. "I knew it." He said as he sat his backpack down on the floor next to his desk. 

Gibbs heard Kate’s and Tony's comments and smiled. "Sounds like things are back to normal." He grabbed his jacket and his gun. "We have a dead Marine in the parking lot at Quantico. Let's move."

THE END


End file.
